Illuminated book holder

ABSTRACT

This book holder comprises a spine in form of a container for batteries. The container is open at the top so that the batteries can be dropped down therein. A cover closes the top of the container. Leaves hinged to the upper ends of the side walls of the container, extend outwardly to support the covers of a book placed in the holder, with the spine of the book resting on the cover of the container. A lamp holder is mounted on the forward end of the container and has a hinged lamp adjustable to direct light to various parts of the leaves of the book on the holder. A switch on the container is controlled to automatically turn the lamp &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; when the holder leaves are spread open to open the book for reading and to turn the lamp &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; when the leaves of the holder are brought together to close the book. The book cover can be slipped under bands on the holder leaves to open and close the book when the holder is opened or closed, respectively.

[111 3,823,312 [45] July 9,1974

United States Patent [191 Weinstein Primary Examiner-Samuel S. MatthewsAssistant Examiner-Richard A. Wintercorn Agent, or Firm-J. B. Felshin;Marvin Feb.16, 1973 [22] Filed:

mwAmv. 0 e CDfnmGy Citer. atege fem.m.m Ommmm t n miHWO mnwac nmmm .lolut end f .mremo TpeW.mS Cs.notH amrna StdOW cnOn Ce Smcmm Mpens mn a om.cD.t H mmpm I .ne de S .mumm hams@ bbe kr r. @Tim hC .llseteu 7.1.mame,stummen RMR ,by/0, 030 lvl wlB. 42 BWM Amm m 2 mi 8 9 l 39 mmh. 3 wwwWma o. N. man .m. ....m P Slmk A UIF l .lll l.. 21100 2 555 rl [ll llClaims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 91914 "fi 9/ f4 if FIGA y 1ILLUMINATED BOOK HOLDER This invention relates to bookholders for nightreading without disturbing other people. A lamp on the bookholderilluminates the book pages, so that the room lights do not have to beturned on. An object of this invention is to provide a bookholder of thecharacter described comprising an elongated container open at the topand having hinged leaves extending therefrom to support covers of abook, and being loadable from the top with batteries for supplyingenergy to illuminate a lamp at the head of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide abookholder of thecharacter described having a hinged cover'to close the top of saidcontainer.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bookholder of thecharacter described comprising a lamp adjustable to direct light to theright or left pages of a book supported on the bookholder.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a book cover of thecharacter described having means to automatically turn the lamp on whenthe bookholder leaves are spread out to open the book on the holder, forreading, and automatically turn the lamp off when the bookholder leavesare brought together to close the book.

A further object of this invention is to provide a durable bookholder ofthe character described which shall be easy to manipulate, comfortableto use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which vshall yet bepractical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bookholder embodying the inventionwith a book thereon and in reading position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l; FIG. 3 isa cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the bookholder disclosing amodified construction.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates a bookholderembodying the invention. Said bookholder comprises an elongated spine 11comprising a container l2 open at the ktop and having a bottom wall 13from which side walls 14, a rear wall l5 and a front wall 16 extendupwardly. This container 124 may be made of plastic material or anyother suitable material. Said walls 14, l5, 16 are of the same height.Hinged to the upper end of wall 16, as at 17, is a cover or top wall 18that rests on the upper edges of side walls 14, and rear wall l5. Whensaid cover is swung up, dry cells or batteries 20 may be placed intandem in the container. Each battery may be placed in a battery cradleor support 21 having a bottom wall 22 from the ends of which walls 23,24 extend upwardly. Walls 23, 24 of adjacent cradles are connectedtogether by a conductor 25. Wall 23 which is at the inside of wall 16carries a terminal 27. A spring 28 is interposed between terminal 27 andthebottom wall of the first battery. The anode of said battery contactsthe conductor 25. ln the second cradle, a spring 30 is interposedbetween the contact 25 and the battery in said cradle. The anode 32 ofthe second battery contacts a terminal 33 on the wall 24 of the secondbattery crade. One wire 35 has one end connected to terminal 27. Asecond wire 36 has one end connected to terminal 33. The opposite ends35a of wire 35 is connected to a switch contact 37. Slidably mounted onone side wall 14 is a push button 40 slidable through'an opening 41 insaid side wall. Fixed to the innerside of said wall 14 is a cage 42having an opening 43 to receive a stem 44 ofthe push button 40. On thepush button 40 is a collar 45 on the stem 44 and between collar 45 andthe cage 42 is a coil compression spring 47.

Hinged to the upper ends of side walls 14 are leaves 50 which can swingfrom horizontal to vertical positions. Fixed to the lower end of one ofsaid leaves is a block 51 adapted to push the button 40 for the purposehereinafter appearing.

Fixed to the outer side of walll 15 is a goose neck shaped bracket 60.At the upper end of bracket 60 is a member 61 which is inclinedforwardly and upwardly and is pivoted to the goose neck, about its axis,in any suitable manner. Carried by the upper end of member 6l is atransverse pin 62 on which is pivoted a member 63. Pivoted to member 63for rotation about said member, is a lamp holder and shade 64, for alamp 65. Wire 36 extends to one terminal of the lamp holder. The otherterminal of the lamp holder is connected by a wire 66 to a switchcontact 67 complementary to Contact 37. When the push button 40 ispushed in, contacts 37, 67 are bridged to illuminate the lamp 65.

A book 71 may be mounted on the book holder so that the spine of thebook rests on the container cover 18. Bands 72, 72 on the leaves 50receive the covers 73 of the book 7l, therebetween. When the leaves 50are spread apart to horizontal position, the lamp is illuminated. Whenthe book holder leaves are brought together, the book is closed and thespring 47 opens the lamp switch and the lamp is extinguished.

A strap has one end 81 anchored to the base of the goose neck bracket60. The other end of the strap carries a snap fastener 82 whichcooperates with a snap fastener element on the cover 18 to releasablyhold the cover closed.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a modified construction of lamp switch. Thelamp switch has an actuating lever 91. When switch 90 is down in thefull line position of FIG. 4, the lamp is on A peg 92 on the leaf 50serves to push the lever 91 down to actuating position when the leaf islowered to horizontal position. A bracket 94 fixed `to the underside ofleaf 50 has a curved end portion 95 located to raise the lever 91 toturn the lamp off," when the leaf is raised to close the book. As theleaf 50 is lowered, portion 95 of bracket 94 moves away from the lever91 to allow it to be snapped downby peg 92. As the leaf 50 is swung up,peg 92 moves up to allow bracket 94 to snap the switch lever 91 upwardlyto turn the lamp off."

. It will thus be seen that lthere is provided an article in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditionsof practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be inerpreted as illustrative only.

I claim:

l. A book holder comprising an elongated container having a bottom wall,side walls and front and rear end walls, and being open at the top, acover to close the top of the container, leaves hinged to the upper endsof the side walls of the container about parallel axes located alongsidesaid upper ends and swin gable from coplanar spread out longitudinalpositions to support the covers of a book on said holder, in openposition with the spine of the book on said container cover, to verticalparallel positions with said book closed, a bracket rigidly fixed tosaid rear wall and extending upwardly therefrom, a lamp holder, means tomount said lamp holder on said bracket, batteries in said container, andmeans to connect said batteries in circuit with said lamp holder, saidmeans including a switch.

2. The combination of claim l, and means on one of said leaves to closesaid switch upon swinging said leaves from vertical position tohorizontal position and to close said switch upon moving said leaf fromhorizontal position to vertical position.

3. The combination of claim l, means to hinge one end of said containercover to the upper end of one of said end walls, and means to releasablyattach the other end of said container cover to the upper end of theother of said end walls.

4. The combination of claim l, said means for mount- 'tion when theleaves are spread out and to actuate said switch to off position whenthe leaves are swung up to closed position.

6. The combination of claim 5, and means to hinge one end of saidcontainer cover to the upper end of one of said end walls.

7. The combination of claim 6, and means to releasably attach the otherend of said container cover to the upper end of the other of said endwalls.

8. The combination of claim 7, said means for mounting said lamp holderon said bracket, comprising means to adjust the angle and height of saidlamp holder relative to said bracket.

9. The combination of claim 8, and a lamp shade mounted to move withsaid lamp holder. n

10. The combination of claim l, and means on said leaves to engagecovers of a book placed on said book holder, with the spine of the bookon said cover and the covers of said book against the inner surfaces ofsaid leaves.

1l. The combination of claim 1, said container cover resting on top ofsaid container.

* a k s

1. A book holder comprising an elongated container having a bottom wall,side walls and front and rear end walls, and being open at the top, acover to close the top of the container, leaves hinged to the upper endsof the side walls of the container about parallel axes located alongsidesaid upper ends and swingable from coplanar spread out longitudinalpositions to support the covers of a book on said holder, in openposition with the spine of the book on said container cover, to verticalparallel positions with said book closed, a bracket rigidly fixed tosaid rear wall and extending upwardly therefrom, a lamp holder, means tomount said lamp holder on said bracket, batteries in said container, andmeans to connect said batteries in circuit with said lamp holder, saidmeans including a switch.
 2. The combination of claim 1, and means onone of said leaves to close said switch upon swinging said leaves fromvertical position to horizontal position and to close said switch uponmoving said leaf from horizontal position to vertical position.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, means to hinge one end of said container coverto the upper end of one of said end walls, and means to releasablyattach the other end of said container cover to the upper end of theother of said end walls.
 4. The combination of claim 1, said means formounting said lamp holder on said bracket including means to adjust theheight and angle of said lamp holder relative to said bracket.
 5. Thecombination of claim 1, said switch being mounted on a side wall of saidcontainer, and means on one of said leaves to actuate said switch to''''on'''' position when the leaves are spread out and to actuate saidswitch to ''''off'''' position when the leaves are swung up to closedposition.
 6. The combination of claim 5, and means to hinge one end ofsaid container cover to the upper end of one of said end walls.
 7. Thecombination of claim 6, and means to releasably attach the other end ofsaid container cover to the upper end of the other of said end walls. 8.The combination of claim 7, said means for mounting said lamp holder onsaid bracket, comprising means to adjust the angle and height of saidlamp holder relative to said bracket.
 9. The combination of claim 8, anda lamp shade mounted to move with said lamp holder.
 10. The combinationof claim 1, and means on said leaves to engage covers of a book placedon said book holder, with the spine of the book on said cover and thecovers of said book against the inner surfaces of said leaves.
 11. Thecombination of claim 1, said container cover resting on top of saidcontainer.